Getting an education!

[traveler44]

Mary and I started looking for boats after we got home from Fl. this spring. We finally found a very good old 16' Starcraft Vee bottom with a 25 HP mercury motor and a fixer upper trailer. She has been fishing with me about six times since we got it and has been a good sport about it. She wants something now that is more comfortable for spending a day at a time fishing from. So I am trying to find a fishing pontoon boat, somewhere in the 16' to 18' range. From what we have found it looks like we started looking about a month too late to find the good used ones. I told her I would ask on here though to see if anybody knows of one that is for sale and to notify us so that we might check it out before it's sold. Thanks Tom

 

[TXTiger]

Tom, I have a 2003 Chaparrell 183 SS for sale. Its an open bow,18 1/2 foot, with a V hull. I have fished on it many times, river, lakes, bay and ocean. It has a 190 horse power inboard/outboard Mercruser motor and can pull a skier. The boat is in very good shape and low hours, @115 I think. I just had it serviced and detailed to prep it for sale. The trailer is a little rusted and may need to be replaced. Its in San Diego, Calif. Kelly Blue Book lists it around $13,800 but I will take $12,500

 

[traveler44]

That sounds like a great boat but she is interested in a pontoon boat right now. I hope you sell your boat to somebody who really enjoys a nice boat like that. Thanks Tom

 

[JohnDar]

I made the mistake of buying a 20' fishing pontoon (Manitou Osprey) back in 2003. Much as I'd like a REAL fishing boat, the wife would bust caps on me if I got rid of it. Gotta admit, it does have its advantages when it comes to stability in rough waters. And the wife can stretch out on the "sofa" and leave me to drown worms in peace. Actually makes a good motorless trolling platform when the winds are right.

 

[traveler44]

We found a 91 Bass tracker with trailer and 50 HP Merc. about 30 miles from where we live. It looks like a pretty sound boat and didn't cost us much so we will be able to set it up the way we want with the kind of lounge seats she wants and it has a bunch of swivel fishing chairs on it. Thank you for your interest. Tom

 

[JohnDar]

Just came back in off the lake from our pontoon. There was a nice breeze and about a 1 foot chop, so I set out my drift anchor and trolled across the lake a couple of times. Fish weren't biting, but it was a pleasant day to be out.